The present invention relates generally to a portable fire extinguisher, and more particularly, to an improved push button actuator for actuating a valve to controllably release pressurized contents from a portable fire extinguisher.
Hand held fire extinguishers are well known. Such fire extinguishers have found particular use in environments such as kitchens, automobiles, boats and the like, where small fires are possible. For hand-held fire extinguishers to find maximum effective use, they must be reliable and easy to put in operation quickly. Further, they must be affordable so that consumers will buy them and actually put them into use.
Although hand-held fire extinguishers are well known, the present invention deals specifically with a simplified actuator for releasing pressurized fluid from the fire extinguisher in an effective manner heretofore not available.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,138,331, granted to Kutik, entitled, "Actuator for Pressurized Dispensing Cans", discloses the use of a slidable head which includes internal passages. Upon depression of the slidable head, the internal passages become in communication with the pressurized fluid within the dispensing can to dispense the pressurized fluid outwardly therefrom. U.S. Pat. No. 3,530,941, granted to Arne et al., entitled, "Fire Extinguisher With a Pin Connected Control Head", discloses a fire extinguisher having an axial bore which communicates pressurized fluid to an outwardly flared lateral bore upon actuation of a valve member. U.S. Pat. No. 4,019,584, granted to Allmendinger, entitled, "Fire Extinguisher", discloses a fire extinguisher having a nozzle which includes a passage having an inwardly tapered portion terminating adjacent an outwardly flared portion through which pressurized fluid passes upon actuation of a valve stem.
Other devices have been patented for actuation of aerosol containers. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,744,682, granted to Blank, 3,889,856, granted to Morane, and 3,967,760, granted to Marcon all disclose valve actuators having passages which receive pressurized fluid in a vertical direction from a pressurized container and deliver the pressurized fluid in a horizontal direction.
Problems with the prior fire extinguisher actuators include their relative complexity and cost. Also, problems exist with the inability of prior fire extinguishers to maximize the effectiveness of the application of the pressurized fluid within the fire extinguisher to a fire.